The Blood that Binds Us
by 123Dreamchaser123
Summary: Kushina birthed twins on that fateful night. Separated at birth for his protection, Naruto grows up knowing nothing, not even given a surname. Meanwhile, his sister, inheriting Minato's collected personality and Kushina's abilities, grows up as the Namikaze prodigy and blames Naruto for their parent's death. Both, however, feel the loneliness that comes from having no family.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything associated with it.**

It was suppose to be one of the happiest days of Minato's life. Instead, it turned into one of his darkest.

Next to him, his wife, Kushina, is screaming in pain as the seal on her stomach holding the Kyuubi back grows ever weaker. At the same time, a masked man is holding his two newborn children in his arms with a kunai pointed dangerously close to his son's throat.

"Stay back," the masked man warned as Minato turns to his wife after she screamed out again. "Unless you want your children's first breaths to be their last."

"Settle down," Minato said, desperately trying to protect his family. "Don't do anything rash."

"Speak for yourself," the masked man evenly replied. "I am perfectly calm Fourth Hokage."

Without warning, the masked man threw the two bundle of blankets in his arms into the air. Then, he jumped towards them with his kunai positioned to strike the two down!

Minato quickly leaped after them and expertly caught both of his children before the masked man could finish them. Using chakra, he stuck to the ceiling he collided with and ready himself to move back towards Kushina.

"You managed the first one," the masked maid said as he landed and made a hand sign. "How about the second one?"

Instantly, a sizzling sound came from the two objects in his hands and explosion tags were revealed to be attached to the two kid's blankets!

Knowing Kushina would be caught in the blast, Minato disappeared in a yellow flash and reappeared in a cabin. Immediately, he threw the tagged filled blankets off and leaped outside of the building while holding his children protectively in his arms. An explosion soon followed and the cabin was reduced to rubble.

"He wanted to separate me from Kushina," Minato grimly concluded as he flinched from a small piece of wood that struck his ankle from the blast. The sounds of crying instantly alerted the Hokage to the kids that he now carried.

"Sorry, didn't mean to wake you two," Minato said while smiling nervously down at them.

His words seemed to have no effect as they continued to cry.

Breathing a sign of relief, Minato said, "At least your safe, Naruto." He looked at the boy. "Mito." Minato moved his eyes to gaze at the girl.

Finally having a moment to think, he couldn't fathom were it all went wrong. No one was suppose to know that the seal weakened during child birth. Let alone know where his wife was taken to birth their two children.

Obviously, they couldn't hide the fact that Kushina was pregnant; it was pretty easy to figure out when her stomach expanded during the later part of her pregnancy. However, only those involved in the child's birth, the Third Hokage, and Jiraiya knew that she was carrying twins.

Pulling the large sliver out and tossing it to the side, the Fourth Hokage focused on the task at hand.

Minato and his children disappeared from the area before the small piece of wood could touch the ground.

Reappearing at another secluded cabin, he gently set down his children on the empty bed and said, "Rest here Naruto and Mito." A look of determination appeared on his face. "I need to go get your mother." In a flash he was gone.

* * *

When he reemerged next to Kushina, Minata noticed that the Kyuubi had been freed. More importantly, he observed that one of its giant paws was quickly coming down fast at them!

Without delay, he picked up his wife and flashed away to a nearby tree before they were leveled.

"As quick as a flash." Minato heard the masked man from earlier say. "You certainly live up to your name."

"M-Minato" Kushina weakly said. "He plans to attack the village."

Minato turned his head to glare at the masked man before he disappeared again.

"Come now, Kyuubi," the masked man said. "To the village!"

Completely under the control of the masked man because of his sharingan, the Kyuubi wordlessly obeyed.

* * *

"Rest now, Kushina," Minato said as he and her appeared at the cabin where their children were held. Gently, he put her down in the bed with the twins. "Stay here with Naruto and Mito."

With care that only a mother could posses, Kushina brought both of them to her as Minato opened up a closet and put on a white cloak with red flames. The encryption of Forth Hokage was written down the middle of it.

"Good luck," Kushina said.

"I'll be right back," Minato promised before he flashed away.

* * *

On top of his own head that was located on the Hokage Monument, Minato saw the Kyuubi already destroying his home. Angrier filled him as they locked eyes and the fox fired a beast ball towards him.

"I will not allow you to destroy this village!" Minato determinedly said with a three pronged kunai in his hand. After during a couple of hand signs, Minato caught the dangerous ball in a seal. The ball soon disappeared into the black markings and a huge explosion was heard and felt from a safe distance away from the village.

Suddenly, a chill went down his spine. Turning around, he sliced with his kunai at the masked man reaching for him, but the kunai harmlessly went through his head. A slight pressure at his wrist signaled that the man succeeded in grabbing him. "It's over," the masked man said as he started to suck Minato inside of him.

Reacting fast, Minato activated his signature jutsu and transported himself safely away.

"He got away," the masked man said to no one.

* * *

Stumbling to the ground at the wreck cabin from before, Minato concluded that this was no ordinary shinobi.

From across of him, the masked man materialized from thin air.

"Your fight is with me," he said as he took out a pair of chains and attached one to each wrist.

Knowing that he had to disconnect this man from the Kyuubi, Minato didn't object and stood up into a fighting stance with a three pronged kunai in hand.

Both shinobi stood perfectly still as they sized each other up. Suddenly, they charged at each other with Minato aiming his kunai at his opponent's chest.

Shocked went through Minato as he went right through the masked man again and was soon captured in his chains. Quickly, he used the flying raijin and escaped from his attacker's grasp to a nearby kunai that happened to be in the area.

Being known as a genius, Minato deduced that his opponent had to become solid to counterattack and concluded that he also didn't want a drawn out battle. So, their next round at each other would be their last with whom ever striking faster winning the match.

Minato tightened his grip on his kunai as he came up with a plan. Meanwhile, the masked man swayed back and forth from one leg to the other in anticipation.

Finally, both shinobi rushed at each other for the final time. Minato, in mind stride, flicked his wrist as he sent his kunai flying towards his opponent.

Time seemed to slow as the kunai flew harmlessly through the masked man's head and he reached for Minato. Confidence surged through the masked man as the kunai finally passed with Minato mere inches from his grasped.

Suddenly, Minato disappeared in a flash and reappeared at the kunai he threw. A blue ball of wind soon formed in his hand as he shouted, "Flying raijin level two!" Thrusting his arm forward, Minato slammed the rasengan into his opponent.

The masked man screamed out in pain as he collided hard with the ground. Rocks flew up as a result of the collision and Minato jumped backwards.

"You certainly live up to your title," the masked man said as he jumped out of the small crater he was in. Hastily, he grabbed his bleeding, useless arm.

Unbeknownst to the wounded masked man, Minato placed a seal for the flying raijin at the point of contact. A fact that he quickly took advantage of as he teleported himself in front of his opponent and placed a binding contract on him.

"With this, the Kyuubi is no longer yours!"

The masked man felt his control over the Kyuubi slip from him as he jumped back. "I underestimated you," he said as he started to disappear in a swirl originating from his eye. "The Kyuubi will be mine!"

Minato could hear the conviction in his voice as he kept his guard up.

"I will rule this world!" the masked man said as only his head remain. "There are plenty of ways to do it!" With that, the masked man fully disappeared.

Minato released a breath of relief as he sensed the masked man presence leave for good. However, his victory was short lived as he still had to deal with the Kyuubi.

In a flash, he left the area and headed towards his final battle.

* * *

Returning to the village, Minato saw the Kyuubi powering up a beast ball. Acting fast, he summoned Gamabunta above the fox.

"Just hold him for a little bit," Minato ordered the giant frog now on top of the fox.

"I'll try, but he is one heavy son of a bitch," the frog answered back.

Without warning, the fox disappeared leaving behind a confused frog.

"Minato, teleported himself and the Kyuubi away," the Third Hokage, decked out in his full battle gear, concluded as he and the remaining shinobi previously fighting the fox looked on.

* * *

Minato started to breath heavily as he held his son in one hand and used the other to hold his wife's waist. Kushina's arm was draped across his back to help her stand and she carried their daughter. Just behind them, the Kyuubi stood on the crushed remains of the cabin that the twins and Kushina were resting in.

"Now to create a barrier so he can't escape ," Minato said as he let go of Kushina and moved his son up in his arm to free up his hands. However, exhaustion hit him hard and he winced before he could make one hand sign.

"I can still do it," Kushina said while chakra chains came from her body. The chains instantly wrapped around the fox and pierced the ground all around everyone. "I'll take the fox with me to my grave and increase the interval until he reappears again."

"Kushina," Minato said, flabbergasted.

"Thank you, Minato," Kushina said with a big smile as she turned towards her beloved husband, "for everything."

Shaking his head, Minato wisely said, "The world balance of tailed beast will be disrupted if the Kyuubi were to fall today." Looking down at his son in his arm with regret, he continued, "For the sake of the village, I plan to seal half of the Kyuubi in our son."

"You can't!" Kushina shouted back. "I will not allow our son to carry such a heavy burden!"

"I am sorry," Minato said as he raced through hand seals. "Dead demon consuming seal!" he shouted as he landed on the last sign.

"Is that what I think it is!" the Third Hokage said in surprise as he came upon the scene. Coming to a halt in front of the barrier that Kushina put up, he slammed his staff into it. "Do they plan to deal with the Kyuubi by themselves?" he asked himself when his staff was met with stiff resistance.

"Now I'll use this to at least get rid of half of the fox for ever," Minato said, looking back at the Shinigami that formed behind him. "Seal!"

Instantly, a ghostly hand went through his stomach and towards the Kyuubi. Grabbing onto half of its chakra, the hand pulled it out of the fox and towards Minato's stomach. A black seal pattern appeared on his stomach as the chakra was sealed away.

" **Curse you Fourth Hokage!** " the Kyuubi shouted as it visibly shrunk at its lost of power.

"Save your chakra, Kushina," Minato said before Kushina could tighten her chains around the fox.

Kushina went to protect, but was cut off "I-"

"Save it for your reunion with Naruto," Minato said with a smile. "I want to seal away the rest of your chakra in him so you can help him gain control of the Kyuubi."

"Why?" Kushina questioned as she concluded that Minato was doing all of this for her. "Why sacrifice yourself so I can see our son all grows up?" She looked down at their daughter in her arms, tears in her eyes. "What about Mito? I will still never get to reunite with her." Kushina angrily looked up into the Fourth Hokage's eyes. "I would of rather you be their for both of them than allow me a few short minutes with our son!"

Minato, in response, looked up into the sky. A bittersweet ran across his face when he realized what a gorgeous night it truly was. "Call it a hunch, but I know Naruto will break the cycle of hate and bring peace to the world." He slowly moved his head to look Kushina in the eyes. "Yes, I could be there, but there are some things that only a mother can say." Minato gestured towards their son. "I am not doing all this for you, but for our son. Besides, they will not be alone." He smiled softly. "They will have each other."

Kushina looked away in disgust with her eyes closed and said, "I do not play favorites with our children."

Minato instantly lost his smile and sighed. "It's too late now, Kushina." He closed one eye in fatigue. "I can already feel my life force draining."

"In that case," Kushina said sharply. "I having nothing more to say to you."

Minato knew words were pointless when his stubborn wife became like this. So, he pointed his hand and summoned the ritual alter to perform the eight trigrams seal. Slowly, he walked up and gently put his son on it. "I am sorry, Naruto," he said as he straighten back up. "Many hardships will fall on you." Minato, for the first time in a long time, released a few tears in sorrow. "But I know you will rise above it."

Stretching his hand out to the side, Minato summoned Gerotora.

"What's going on?" The frog questioned as he looked around. "The Kyuubi?!" he shouted when he finally noticed the bijuu.

"I-I am going to give you the key," Minato said, drawing Gerotora attention to him.

The frog immediately composed himself after seeing the state the Fourth Hokage was in. Stretching and unrolling his scroll like body out, he readied himself to receive the key to the eight trigram seal.

Minato wasted no time and quickly transferred it.

"Message receive," Gerotora confirmed as he rolled his body back up.

"Please go to Jiraiya-sensei for safe keeping," Minato softly ordered.

With a nod, Gerotora puffed away.

Minato's eyelids started to feel really heavily now and he was struggling to stay alive. After bitting his finger and wiping the blood on his palm, he started to slowly do the signs for the last jutsu he needed to perform. "I know you will make me proud," he whispered as he looked one last time at his sleeping son.

"Mito," Minato said as he looked back at his daughter sleeping in Kushina's arms. "I wish things were different and I could watch you grow into a beautiful women." A few more tears found their way down his cheeks. "K-Know that I love you very dearly."

Kushina felt her face soften at each heartfelt word Minato spoke and she moved her head to look at him.

"Watch over your little brother and follow your dreams." He looked up at his wife. "Thank you, Kushina, for not only being my wife, but for making me the father of these two beautiful children."

Kushina eyes widen.

"I hope some time in the afterlife you can forgive me for today," Minato said while looking at the ground and as his hands rested on the last sign for the eight trigram seal.

Kushina wanted to say something, anything, but her mouth refused to move.

"Seal. . ."

Was the last word Minato Namikaze, the Fourth Hokage, spoke alive as the last of his chakra and the rest of the Kyuubi became sealed into Naruto. Like a rag doll, the body of Minato descended towards the ground.

With tears in her eyes, Kushina ran towards her husband's body and skillfully caught it. Gently, she placed it on the ground. Regret flooded through her for when their eye's met for the final time, she saw how hard all of this was on him.

Suddenly, she fell onto one knee and said, "I can't resist the seal for much longer." Gently, she placed her daughter down and smiled softly.

Then, Kushina spoke her final words. "Naruto. . . Mito. . . Don't be picky. . . Eat lots and grow strong. . . Make sure that you bathe every day and stay warm. . . Also. . . Don't stay up late. . . You need lots of sleep. . . And make friends. . . You don't need a lot of friends. . . Just a few. . . Ones you can really, really trust. . . I wasn't very good at it, but keep up with your studies and practice your ninjutsu hard. . . Remember that everyone has strengths and weaknesses. . . So don't get too depressed if you can't do something well. . . Respect your teachers and upperclassmen at the Academy. . ."

Kushina felt a tug at her chakra and knew she had to wrap it up. "Be true to yourselves. . . Have a dream and have the confidence to make that dream come true. . . There's so much. . . Oh, so much more that I want to pass on to you two. . . I wish I could stay with you two longer. . . I love you. . ."

No longer able to resist, Kushina's chakra left her body and flew towards Naruto to complete the seal. Also, her chakra chains faded away and the barrier surrounding the family lowered. With a crunch, the body of Kushina Uzumaki fell onto the ground and the family was suddenly reduced to two.

Hiruzen, the Third Hokage, came up to the family with a heavy heart. "Minato. . . Kushina. . ."

"What will you do now?" Enma, the monkey king, asked as a single eye opened from Hiruzen's staff.

"I'll do what must be done," Hiruzen responded as he looked at the two children that were left behind.

"I'll take my leave then," Emma said before he disappeared with a puff.

For a moment, Hiruzen stood quietly and paid his respects to the two dead Namikaze. Then, without warning, two shinobi appeared behind the Third Hokage bowing. "Take these two children to my office and summon Jiraiya," he ordered softly.

Nodding, both shinobi went to carry out their orders.

"This is going to be a long night," Hiruzen remarked.

* * *

Some time later, Hiruzen stood in his office with both kids in his arms and looking out the window at the village.

"I heard what happened," a familiar voice said.

Turning around, Hiruzen saw Jiraiya with a solemn look.

"Is that them?" Jiraiya asked.

"Yes, Jiraiya, meet, for now, Naruto and Mito Namikaze."

"What do you mean for now?"

Hiruzen ignored the question and turned back around to look at the village. "I don't know how much you know, but Naruto is now the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi."

Walking up to stand next to his sensei, Jiraiya said, "Yes, I heard a blond boy became its jinchuuriki. So, I figured it was Naruto."

"Then, you must be aware what danger the boy is now in." When Jiraiya said nothing, the Third Hokage continued. "As a jinchuuriki, Naruto will be hunted by other villages looking to gain power. On top of that, his parents were world famous ninja with a long list of enemies." Releasing a sigh that made Hiruzen seem older than he actually was, he said, "For his protection, I plan on making his heritage an S-class secret."

"What!?" Jiraiya said in disbelief. "You'll deny this child his birthright?"

Once again ignoring his student, Hiruzen continued, "Rumors were circulating before this catastrophe about Kushina being pregnant." He gazed down at the young girl in his arm. "People are already asking about what happen to Kushina's child. Unfortunately, with this girl's red hair and the fact she was found near the bodies of Minato and Kushina, people are already assuming she is their daughter."

"Naruto?" Jiraiya suddenly piped up. "Do they suspect him of also being their child?"

"No," Hiruzen said as he looked up at the village once more. "Their hate for the Kyuubi has blinded them from seeing the truth."

Jiraiya shoulder's slump and he too gazed out at the village. "You plan on separating them, don't you?"

"There is no other way," Hiruzen spoke sadly. "His safety must be top priority." He looked down at the blond boy sleeping soundly in his arm. "I will, however, make talking about him being the jinchuuriki of the Kyuubi an S-class crime, punishable by death. Hopefully, this will allow the hate that surly will come to him, to not be passed on to the next generation and he can have a somewhat normal childhood."

"That is wishful thinking at its best, sensei," Jiraiya wisely said as Hiruzen looked up again.

For about a minute, neither spoke up as they were content to gaze out at the village as the darkness of the night began to fade into the light of a new day.

"Do you think Naruto will be able to handle this burden?" Jiraiya finally asked.

Hiruzen took a few moments before he responded.

"Yes," Hiruzen finally said. "I was their when they died you know." He moved his head to look at his student. "I've never seen Minato so sure about something in his life, then his believe in Naruto." Hiruzen smiled. "He even stood up against Kushina when she questioned him."

"Kami have mercy on his soul then," Jiraiya said, knowing about Kushina's temper.

Suddenly, their was knocking and a voice said, "Hokage-sama, it is time."

"Well, Jiraiya, it looks like it is time I introduce to the village Mito Namikaze-Uzumaki, daughter of Minato Namikaze and Kushina Uzumaki, and Naruto, an orphan with no parents and no surname."

Hiruzen, dressed in the Hokage robes and hat, moved to exit his office, but stopped and looked back when Jiraiya spoked up.

"If Minato believed in the boy, then so will I." Jiraiya went to the nearest window and pushed it open. "I'll see you around, sensei," he said as he stood up on the ledge, preparing to jump. "Oh, before I forget," Jiraiya said as he stopped all motion. "Happy un-retirement." With that, Jiraiya smiled a big cheeky smile and jumped.

"That boy will never change," Hiruzen said as he smiled and shook his head.

Straighten back up after a few moments, the Third Hokage moved towards the door of his office and opened it. Immediately, he was greeted with the bright light of the hallway.

Nodding one final time, he walked into the light and towards the next chapter of his life. Behind him, the sun had finally peaked over the village, signaling the start of a new day.

 **I know their was a lot of things I copied over from the Manga, but I really liked how the Kyuubi attack was done. So, I didn't want to change it. Plus, I feel like the first chapter is a more "feel the author out" kind of chapter if you know what I mean.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I don't own Naruto or anything associated with it.**

"Hey look, it's that boy."

"Is he the one that holds-"

"Shhh, were not allow to talk about it."

"Just stay away!"

A six year old Naruto walks down one of the many streets of the Hidden Leaf Village with his head down and his hands in his pockets. A dissatisfied frown was on his face.

Things have been like this since as long as the young Naruto could remember. The glares, the whispers, the loneliness. . .

Why? Naruto didn't understand what made him so different.

Sure, he didn't have any parents , but their were others like him at the orphanage. This fact never seem to stop people from liking Mito.

Naruto made a face like he swallowed something extremely sour.

Mito Namikaze-Uzumaki the precious daughter of the late Fourth Hokage and his wife. People were always stopping by to see her.

Now, that fact didn't bother Naruto because more people at the orphanage meant he had a greater chance to be adopted. However, the difference in the way they treated him and her bothered the young blond.

They. . . Uh. . . What was that word?

Naruto brought a hand to his chin as he stressed his young mind for the right answer.

They. . . Swarm. . . No. . . Come on. . . Think. . . What was the word that the caregivers always say?

Naruto griped his hair roughly and shut his eyes tightly in frustration as he tried to remember the word.

Baka. . . Why can't I remember. . . They. . . Swoon. . . No. . . Wait!

Naruto opened his eyes wide as if he discovered the most important thing in the world.

Swoon! Yes, that was the word!

Smiling and nodding in satisfaction, Naruto was quite pleased with himself for remember such a complicated word.

They swoon over her! While, they-

"Hey, watch where your going!"

Naruto quickly snapped out of his thoughts as he wondered right into a box that happened to be in the middle of the street.

"Ow, ow, ow, that hurts!" Naruto shouted as he hopped on one foot in extreme pain. Based on the big boo-boo he now felt, he knew, without a doubt, that this was done on purpose and he planned on making the one responsible pay!

"Which one of you put that box their dattebayo?!" Naruto proclaimed, looking around with his eye's narrowed.

Everybody in the market district immediately stopped what they were doing and turned to the blond loudmouth child making a scene.

Suddenly, Naruto didn't feel so confident anymore and he gulped when he felt a dark presence behind him. Slowly he turned around and was met with an ugly truth.

"That BOX was my stores next shipment of supplies that you just ruined!" a angry shopkeeper shouted.

Naruto visibly shrunk in on himself as the tall, imposing man hovered over the young blond's tiny frame.

"I think it is about time that someone taught you some manners!" The man raised his hand up high to strike the fearfully kid.

Naruto flinched and closed his eyes tightly as he prepared for contact.

"Now, now there is no need for that."

An old, but kind voice said that caused Naruto to reopen his eyes to see that the shopkeeper's hand was caught by an old man in some funny looking robes.

"I am sure that we can work something out," the old man said with a smile.

"But those were expensive pots all the way from Sunagakure he just ruined and the next shipment doesn't arrive for another month," the shopkeeper complained.

"Well that does sound like a problem," the weird robe man said while blowing out a big breath of smoke from the pipe in his mouth. "I'll tell you what, come by my office later and I'll personally compensate you for the damage."

Everyone's jaws dropped at that proposal.

"Will that be adequate?" the old man said without missing a beat.

"Y-Yes, but-"

"Good," the gray haired man said, cutting the sale's man off. "Glad that we could settle this." Releasing his hold of the shopkeeper, the old man started to walk away.

Naruto couldn't believe that just happened as he stared at the retreating old man's back. It was the first time anyone ever did anything kind for him.

"I don't even know why Hokage-same lets him walk around freely."

"Yeah, all he ever does is cause trouble."

"Hokage-sama should just lock that boy up."

Naruto's head dropped in sadness when he heard this. The little bit of happiness he felt moments before was all gone as the reality of his life came back at full force. Sighing, Naruto's thoughts wander back to before this incident happened.

They swoon over Mito. While, they. . .

Naruto looked up briefly before looking back down.

While they whisper and glare at him.

"Are you coming?" Naruto heard the old man's voice ask, snapping him out of his thoughts.

Raising his head, Naruto saw that the weird robe man has stopped walking and was looking back at him expectingly.

Naruto turned his head around, expecting someone to be their. However, he saw no one was behind him. Meeting the gray haired man's gaze again with confusion, he spoke one word very quietly.

"Me."

The man must have heard him or at the very least read his lips because he smiled a very warm smiled and nodded his head.

Not one to over think a situation, Naruto quickly caught up to old man and the both of them started to walk side by side of each other.

"Tell me, Naruto-kun, do you like ramen?" the weird robe man asked.

Suspiciously, Naruto narrowed his eyes. "How do you know my name?"

The gray haired man laughed at the cute face the young blond made and said, "Lets just say that a little birdie told me."

Accepting his reasoning for now, Naruto visibly relaxed his features and put his hands behind his head. A large smile was on his face. "So, what's ramen?" He asked.

"You mean to tell me that you have never had ramen before?" the old man said in a soft, almost playful, voice.

"Uhm," Naruto said while scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, "No."

"Well, we are just going to have to fix that," the gray haired man said. "Don't we."

"Whatever you say, old man," Naruto said while losing interest in the conversation and looking around at the buildings they were passing in awe.

The old man discreetly smiled at the young blond. Happy, that some of his child like innocence wasn't completely lost. "Do you mind if I make one stop before treating you?"

Naruto just waved his arm in a "I don't care" manner.

Turning down a street with Naruto beside him, the Third Hokage walked towards the Hokage Monument.

* * *

"Why did we have to go all the way up here?" An irritated Naruto complained loudly. "What could you possible have to do up here?"

The old man just smiled and said, "I didn't bring you up here to do anything per se." He pointed to the back of one of the four faces on the Hokage Monument, effectively shutting up Naruto before the blond could retort. "Rather, we came here to get someone."

Naruto, squinting his eyes and bringing up a hand to his forehead to block out the sun, saw a person sitting on top of the Fourth Hokage's head with their back facing them. "Hey, old man. Who is that?"

"Let's go find out," the weird robe man said as he walked forward.

Naruto didn't say anything, for once, and just followed.

"Beautiful view, isn't it," the old man said when they stood behind the now obvious young girl.

Startled, the girl stood up quickly and her beautiful long red hair wiped into her face as she turned around suddenly. Immediately, a hand came up and pushed her hair behind her ear and emotionless violet eyes stared critically at them.

The girl's eyes widen considerable when she recognized the old man in front of her. "Hokage-sama," she said as she bowed in respect.

"Wait, you're the Hokage?!" Naruto shouted behind them in shock.

Hiruzen ignored the blond for now and rested a hand on the red head in front of him. "Mito-chan, you don't have to be so formally with me," he said as he squeezed her shoulder.

Mito straightened up and asked, "What can I do for you?"

"Straight to the point," the Third Hokage said while gesturing towards the head they were standing on. "Just like your father."

For a moment, Naruto saw a deep loneliness in her eyes. However, it soon was replaced by her usual expressionless face.

"Sorry to be so blunt, Hokage-sama," Mito apologized as she gave another small bow. "But could you please tell me what you came here to tell me. I need to be back at the orphanage in a short while."

Hiruzen blew out a large thing of smoke from his pipe and squeezed her shoulder again. "Well, I came here to ask if you wanted to get ramen with me and Naruto-kun?" the Third Hokage said, turning slightly so the boy behind him could fully be exposed.

Mito easily recognized him as the boy that everyone glared at and spoke poorly about. Normally that would be reason enough for her to stay clear of him. However, now she was asking herself how bad could this blond be if the Hokage himself wanted to treat him to ramen.

Suddenly, a heavy feeling went through Mito's heart as she thought about the reason why she came up on her father's head in the first place. This feeling made Mito lose her appetite and made her want to be alone.

Bowing again at the Hokage, Mito said, "I thank you for your kind offer, but unfortunately I already ate. So, I'll humble decline yo-"

"Just shut up and come get ramen with us," Naruto loudly interrupted. "I am starving over here dattebayo!" Before today, he was always jealous of Mito because it seemed she got everything while he got nothing. However, his viewpoint changed when he saw the same pain that he always felt in her eyes.

Mito was rendered speechless. People always treated her like a princess that must be respected and praised. So, this was first time someone rudely cut her off.

Hiruzen just laughed while he turned around and started to walk away. "You heard the boy, let's get going."

Naruto quickly obeyed and moved to follow.

Mito, meanwhile, stood still as she gazed curiously at the blond's back.

Suddenly, Naruto stopped and looked back at her with a genuine smile and said, "Well, are you coming?"

Mito felt herself drawn to his kind, sincere expression and felt herself nod without thinking. Naruto's smile, much to Mito's amazement, widened in response and he waited until Mito was next to him before walking again. Side by side, the twins followed the Hokage.

"So how did you know that the old man was the Hokage?" Naruto eagerly asked Mito, hoping to strike up conversation.

Mito wasn't sure if the boy was joking or was plain stupid. So, she raised an eyebrow and said, "He's wearing the Hokage's robes and hat."

Naruto lightly smacked a fist into his palm in understanding "Oh, I thought he was wearing those things because he was a crazy old fart."

"Crazy old fart?" Mito said while imagining the so called God of Shinobi as a senile old man.

"Yeah," Naruto said, trying to explain his reasoning. " I mean come on, who in their right state of mind would wear those heavy robes on such a hot day."

Mito could not argue against that logic and nodded her head in acceptance. She was actually impressed with Naruto's level of deduction based on observation.

"Plus, he has a face that screams crazy and some how blows smoke out of his mouth!"

Just like that, her high opinion of him was gone in a flash and she concluded that he was in fact plain stupid.

"If you guys are done talking about me, then I would advise both of you to pay attention so you don't lose me in the village," Hiruzen suddenly said while stopping at the bottom of the Hokage Monument.

The twins also ceased their walking after hearing those words and turned forward. Sensing the dark aura coming from the Third Hokage, both gulped nervously.

Mito could only think that the fool next to her deserved whatever came to him for saying such foolish things carelessly with the Third Hokage nearby.

"It was all Mito-san's fault!" Naruto suddenly blurted. "She was the one who started all this!"

"What!" Mito shouted in disbelief while losing composure. "How in the world is this my fault!" She pointed a finger at Naruto. "You were the one that said those things about Hokage-sama!" Crossing her hands over her chest and nodding in satisfaction with her sound reasoning, she delivered the killer blow. "Plus, you in fact started this by asking about how I knew that he was the Hokage."

"Your wrong!" Naruto desperately shouted. "You were the one that knew he was the Hokage." He scratched his head in thought. "So, you're the one who led to me asking the question." Naruto pointed an accusing finger at Mito. "So it's your fault."

Mito threw both of her hands up in frustration. "It was your lack of knowledge that led to this situation. I can't be blamed because I knew something that you didn't."

"Well, you can't trust someone with red hair!"

"How is that even relevant to the problem at hand?"

"How isn't it re-le-vant!"

"Do you even know what that relevant means?"

"Of course I do!"

"Then what does it mean?"

"It means. . ." Naruto thought long and hard, but he could not come up with an answer. "Who cares what it means! You still can't trust red heads!"

Mito smirked. "I think that a red head is more trustworthy than a baka who doesn't even know what relevant means."

"Well. . ." Naruto started to sweat profusely as he tried to think of a comeback.

"What," Mito said after a few seconds. "Can't think of anything else to say."

"Give me a second," Naruto said while scanning Mito to look for something that he could use against her.

"Your stupid," Naruto finally said when his search came up as a failure.

Mito raised an eyebrow. "Really, that was the best you could come up with."

"Don't judge me."

Suddenly, loud laughter interrupted their debate and both turned towards the source to witness a rare sight. The God of Shinobi was crouched over and holding his stomach from laughing so hard.

Confused and a little creeped out at the sight, Mito whispered into Naruto's ear, "Maybe he really is a crazy old fart."

Naruto could only nod his head in agreement.

After some time, Hiruzen, finally, got hold of himself and wiped the tears away from his eyes. "You two fight like your siblings," he cryptically said as he straighten back up.

"Ha," Mito said. "Like I would be related to a baka like him."

"Hardy har har," Naruto faked laugh. "That's got to be the best joke I have ever heard."

Hiruzen, in response, smiled at them and blew a big thing of smoke from his pipe out. "Let's get going," he said after a moment and began to move towards the village.

Not wanting to be left behind, the twins quickly followed after him.

* * *

In no time at all, the three of them arrived at their destination.

"Well here we are," the Third Hokage said as he pulled the ramen stand's noren up and gestured to the twins to enter.

Naruto, not needing to be told twice, rushed in and sat on one of the stools. His mouth began to water from the delicious smell that assaulted his nose.

On the other hand, Mito studied the establishment carefully before reservedly making her way to the seat next to Naruto.

Hiruzen followed soon after and sat himself down on the other side of Naruto.

"We will be right with you" a voice shouted from the back of the stand.

"Oh man!" Naruto excitingly said. "This stuff smells good!"

"You've never had ramen before?" Mito curiously asked while turning to the blond boy next to her.

Naruto shook his head. "No, I am usually not allowed to go into places like this."

Mito's interest peaked at this revelation. She never had any problems going into food joints. In fact, people always welcomed her to their stands and gave her free food. Now, Mito knew people always treated her differently than others because she was the daughter of the late Fourth Hokage and the famous Red-Hot Habanero. Something, however, didn't add up to her because she seen other orphans around her age enter joints like this without any problems.

Mito had to know more and thought very carefully on what she wanted to say to Naruto.

Hiruzen, meanwhile, discreetly looked intensely at Mito as she processed the information Naruto revealed and narrowed his eyes when she opened her mouth to say something.

"Sorry about that," a male voice said before Mito could utter a word. A man soon appeared in front of the trio with his daughter by his side and a notepad in hand. "I can take your order-"

The man gasped when he saw the "demon" child, the princess, and the Third Hokage sitting in his shop.

"Father what is it?" the little girl asked worriedly while pulling at the man's apron when he just stood their with his mouth wide open.

Snapping out of his trance, the man turned towards his daughter and raised his hand to pet her on the head. "Nothing is wrong, Ayame-chan, I was just surprised" the man said while lovely stroking her hair.

Clearing his throat to get the man's attention, Hiruzen said, "Sorry to startle you, Teuchi-san, but I am ready to make my order if it is okay with you."

"Of course Hokage-sama," Teuchi said while doing a quick bow. "What would you like?"

"I'll take a medium tonkotusu ramen," Hiruzen ordered.

With haste, Teuchi wrote his order down and moved on.

Seeing Naruto staring intensely at the menu behind him, Teuchi decided to skip over him for now. "What would you like to eat Mito-san ?"

"I'll have a small Shio Ramen," Mito clearly stated.

Teuchi smiled and nodded his head as he wrote down the red head's order.

Gulping, Teuchi came to the last customer at the stand. Like every other adult in the village, he knew who Naruto is and what he contained. However, unlike most of them, Teuchi didn't blame Naruto for the destruction and death caused by the kyuubi attack. That still didn't make Teuchi any less weary of the blond boy.

"W-What can I get you sir?"

Naruto squinted his eyes and still looked at the menu like he was trying to burn a hole through it.

Naruto's stare put Teuchi even more on edge and he slowly pushed his daughter behind him to protect her.

Meanwhile, Mito and Hiruzen observed the tense scene with interest.

"I have no idea what to get dattebayo!" Naruto finally shouted with a big goofy smile.

Everyone, but Ayame and Naruto comically fell down after hearing that.

"You baka," Mito whispered as she got back up. Looking at Teuchi, who was also recover from his fall, she said, "Just give him a large miso ramen."

Nodding, Teuchi wrote a large miso ramen down in his notepad absentmindedly and got to work on making the three orders

The atmosphere around Naruto and Mito soon became uncomfortable as Ayame stared at them curiously with her big black eyes.

"Is Hokage-sama your-r jiji?" Ayame asked once she worked up the courage.

"Of course not!"

"No."

Were Naruto and Mito's immediately responses respectively.

"Like I'll be related to that crazy old man!" Naruto clarified with Mito nodding in agreement.

"I am not that old," Hiruzen quietly said with a dark cloud over his head.

"Then where's your family?" Ayame innocently said. "I wasn't allowed to go anywhere without one of them with me when I was your age," she finished with a smile.

Family. . . Neither Mito nor Naruto knew what it was like to have one of those. This fact made both of their eyes lower in sadness and a familiar heavy feeling in their chest to make itself known again.

"Well not related by blood, I consider everybody in the village as my family," Hiruzen spoke up and turned to Ayame with a smile. "So in a way I consider myself their jiji."

Mito and Naruto could not believe what they were hearing and their body language reflected that as they stared at the Third Hokage. Both of their eyes were as wide as saucers and their mouths were wide open in disbelief.

"Though I wish I could be an oji or otousan instead of a jiji," Hiruzen said with a sigh.

"No way!" Naruto said, coming back to reality. "You would definitely be a jiji!"

The Third Hokage desperately looked at the only red head here and said, "Come on, Mito-chan, help me out."

"The evidence speaks for itself," Mito said without mercy and also regaining composure. "You are old, therefore you would definitely be a jiji."

A dark cloud once again descended on the Third Hokage as Ayame said, "That makes sense. I call people my family that I am technically not related too."

"Order up!" Teuchi suddenly said while placing a bowl of ramen in front of the three customers.

"Itadakimasu," the group said before two of them broke their chopsticks and began to eat.

Naruto, however, critically looked over the steaming ramen cautiously.

"Never had ramen before?" Ayame politely asked.

Naruto shook his head.

"Then your in for a treat!" Ayame enthusiastically said. "My father makes the best ramen around!"

No longer able to resist the wonderfully smell, especially after his stomach groin after hearing Ayame's words, Naruto broke his chopsticks and carefully put some noodles in his mouth.

All eyes were on the blond kid as he chewed and swallowed his first bite of ramen.

Without warning, his face lit up like a Christmas tree and his eyes sparkled. "That has to be the best thing I have ever tasted dattebayo!" Naruto said with anime tears running down his face.

"Ha ha ha," Teuchi laughed. "Now that is what I like to hear!"

"This. . . Food. . . Must. . . Be. . . From. . . The. . . Gods. . ." Naruto said in between inhaling the rest of his food. After drinking the broth and slamming the bowl down, he said, "I'll take another order on the double, old man!"

"Coming right up!" Teuchi said, all to happy to make another large miso ramen.

Meanwhile, Mito and Ayame were greatly disturbed at what they just witnessed while Hiruzen just laughed at the boy's energy.

The Third Hokage was very pleased at how well today went. He smiled at the twins as Mito not so kindly reminded Naruto about having manners while eating. Naruto, in response, stuck his tongue out at Mito and made fun of her very reserved and formal way of eating.

Hiruzen's mind, suddenly, replaced the scene in front of him with a very young Minato and Kushina eating at a restaurant. Their, Minato was the one who was eating formally while Kushina inhaled her food.

"Hokage-sama" A voice said, bring back the Hokage to the present.

Hiruzen instantly saw Mito staring at him. "Were ready to go now," she said.

Looking down, he saw that he indeed finished his bowl.

"Will this be all on one bill or separate," Teuchi asked.

Naruto smiled mischievously and said, "Our jiji will pay for me and Mito-san!"

Mito, catching Naruto's playful tone, decided to play along. "Yes, would you please pay for me and Naruto-san like you promised, jiji?"

The Third Hokage was very confused at why the two would act like this. Didn't he say he would treat them? Suddenly, he saw something very frightening at the edge of his vision.

Their, on the counter in front of Naruto were FIVE empty bowls stacked on top of each other! When did the young glutton order three more bowls?

"So you will pay for everyone, Hokage-sama," Teuchi said with a glint in his eye from the amount of money he was soon going to get.

The Third Hokage cleared his throat as he tried to get the situation under control. "You expect me to pay fully AFTER you two continue to call me jiji when I made it clear that I dislike it."

Naruto and Mito decided to up their tactics and gave the Third Hokage the infamous puppy eyes.

"But weren't you the one that consider us your family," Naruto said.

"Yeah," Mito added. "You wouldn't let your dear POOR family members pay will you?"

Unable to resist, Hiruzen, sadly, took out his wallet and put the appropriate amount of money on the table. Silently, Hiruzen cursed that stupid look and decided that the first thing he'll do when he returned to his office would be to make an official creed to ban it from ever being use again.

Naruto and Mito stood up and gave each other a high five in victory.

Witnessing the sight, Teuchi decided then and their that no matter what anybody said, he would always welcome Naruto into his shop and treat him like any other customer from this day forward. After everything he observed today, he knew for sure now that Naruto was NOT the kyuubi, but a pleasant young boy filled with energy.

Meanwhile, Hiruzen looked at the wonderful scene of Naruto and Mito smiling at each other after their high five with great satisfaction. He wished that wherever Minato and Kushina were that they would be smiling down at the beginning of a beautiful relationship between their children. However, what the Third Hokage didn't know at the time was the twins bond with each other would be short lived.

 **Another chapter done. I know Naruto kind of acts like an idiot here, but don't worry. I plan to make him grow up fast. I just wanted to establish a base to work with.**

 **Furthermore, I decided to incorporate Mindovin's suggestion and change Mito's last name to Namikaze-Uzumaki so the Uzumaki heritage is represented. Now with that cleared up, I would like to thank those that reviewed/favorited/followed this story! I would like to make it clear that I do consider your reviews and greatly appricate it!**


End file.
